Poll: Are You Ready To Return To Your Favorite Dine In Restaurant?

[Golden sunsets]

Not only will many restaurants close because those of us who are 65+ will not feel comfortable "dining in" until there is a vaccine and/or no more covid, but tourism will be down significantly at least for this season, further reducing the pool of diners. Heck restaurants in our area, known as a foodie mecca, are already announcing permanent closures.

 

[kcowan]

+1

One of the most notable, early "super-spreader" events occurred at a restaurant in China. One pre-symptomatic diner managed to infect 9 people sitting at nearby tables over the course of about an hour. Since the person was pre-symptomatic, there wasn't much overt coughing or sneezing, but there were enough respiratory droplets ejected into the air that nearly 50% of the diners sitting nearby were infected.

No dining in for us for a good, long while. Not worth the risk.

We are doing takeout for 3 meals a week now and will venture out to outdoor restaurants when they open up with adequate distancing.

 

[Midpack]

This chart isn’t as current as I’d like but it illustrates how restaurants were hit versus broader economic activity. Travel and entertainment were hit even worse - all unprecedented.
https://tracktherecovery.org/

 

[ychuck46]

Already there

Here in TN we have been back and dining in for a few weeks now. Most full serve restaurants are completely open; it is the fast food chains that are resisting and limiting themselves to drive thru and delivery for now (although we are hearing that some are looking to open soon). No problems, people are great, and the employees are on top of things. If you don't feel comfortable then stay away; it insures that tables and booths are available for those that want to go. That's why we are a Free country; no one will force you to go, and you can't stop me from supporting these business owners.

 

[AllDone]

We used to eat out a lot, but until we get vaccinated, it's not worth the risk. We're eating take-out every couple of weeks and that will have to do for now.

My husband's sisters were all sick with the virus (2 in NY and 1 in TX). It was a rough experience even though they're all under sixty without any significant medical history. One sister developed heart failure and it's not clear that will clear up completely. It's just not a good idea to go out more than necessary.

My husband is impressed by how much our credit card bills have dropped.

 

[harllee]

Here in TN we have been back and dining in for a few weeks now. Most full serve restaurants are completely open; it is the fast food chains that are resisting and limiting themselves to drive thru and delivery for now (although we are hearing that some are looking to open soon). No problems, people are great, and the employees are on top of things. If you don't feel comfortable then stay away; it insures that tables and booths are available for those that want to go. That's why we are a Free country; no one will force you to go, and you can't stop me from supporting these business owners.

But aren't the larger cities in TN like Memphis and Nashville still under strict restaurant rules --only 50% capacity, tables 6 feet apart, etc.?

 

[Jcny18]

Nope. Not for a long time. I'm in NYC. Still hundreds of new cases a day and I am most definitely in the vulnerable group.

 

[Steevo]

No way in hell.

 

[airbornesapper]

Done and Dusted... sans t-shirt

We’re doing fairly well in locked-down here in Canada’s Maritime Provinces...

 

[Midpack]

I just noticed today local fast food places are still keeping dining rooms locked, allowing drive thru only - even while sit down restaurants are jumping through hoops to comply with 50% capacity guidance. I wonder if fast food places are resisting dine in to protect employee and customer health - or because it takes fewer people with drive thru only, more profitable. Maybe some of both...

 

[RobbieB]

We have been cleared to open for dining, but none of my places are doing it. Still take out only. Me thinks they don't have the people they laid off available.

Sucks.

 

[harllee]

I just noticed today local fast food places are still keeping dining rooms locked, allowing drive thru only - even while sit down restaurants are jumping through hoops to comply with 50% capacity guidance. I wonder if fast food places are resisting dine in to protect employee and customer health - or because it takes fewer people with drive thru only, more profitable. Maybe some of both...

Fast food places can probably make it with just drive through and don't need dine in to survive. Many high end restaurants only make a profit through wine, beer alcohol so they need dine in. I just don't see how alot of the high end restaurants are going to survive. I am sad about it but I am staying home to protect myself and DH.

 

[audreyh1]

We used to eat out a lot, but until we get vaccinated, it's not worth the risk. We're eating take-out every couple of weeks and that will have to do for now.

My husband's sisters were all sick with the virus (2 in NY and 1 in TX). It was a rough experience even though they're all under sixty without any significant medical history. One sister developed heart failure and it's not clear that will clear up completely. It's just not a good idea to go out more than necessary.

My husband is impressed by how much our credit card bills have dropped.

Oh, that’s terrible about your sister-in-law!

 

[audreyh1]

I just noticed today local fast food places are still keeping dining rooms locked, allowing drive thru only - even while sit down restaurants are jumping through hoops to comply with 50% capacity guidance. I wonder if fast food places are resisting dine in to protect employee and customer health - or because it takes fewer people with drive thru only, more profitable. Maybe some of both...

Well, there have been some serious employee safety issues at fast food places. McDonalds has experienced protests and even a walk out due to infected employees. https://www.businessinsider.com/mcd...t-coworkers-test-positive-for-covid-19-2020-5

McDonald's workers in 20 cities went on strike last week, protesting the company's response to the coronavirus pandemic. At least four OSHA complaints have been filed by employees, with the support of Fight for 15.
.....

Last Tuesday, workers in Chicago filed a class-action suit against McDonald's, saying the company "has failed to take adequate steps in response to the pandemic." According to the complaint, many stores lack masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer, and most workers have not received training on how to protect themselves and customers.

 

[rk911]

I just noticed today local fast food places are still keeping dining rooms locked, allowing drive thru only - even while sit down restaurants are jumping through hoops to comply with 50% capacity guidance. I wonder if fast food places are resisting dine in to protect employee and customer health - or because it takes fewer people with drive thru only, more profitable. Maybe some of both...

or maybe the franchiser has a say...or more correctly the franchiser's legal dept.

 

[Gadabout]

DH and I both love to cook, but we also like to support local restaurants and try all sorts of places when traveling (which we did before and hope to resume). As to returning to indoor restaurant dining -- all the protocols that I have seen are total ambience wreckers. I prefer to get occasional take-out to help with the economy and provide us with some options. With summer coming on, there are great ways to support local places and avoid dining in. We just got a couple of lobster rolls and a bottle of wine to enjoy at a picnic table by the shore -- win-win.

 

[RobLJ]

Nope; wouldn't be prudent.
We do order take out once or twice a week, which minimizes the risk, and supports local businesses (I leave a big tip). DW and son went to visit the winemaker, daughter-in-law, and two young grandsons last week; over the weekend the winemaker and oldest (3) came to visit.

I'd feel terrible if we gave the virus to them, worse than if I got it myself.

 

[Momcpa]

I don't think we are ready for that leap of faith in the restaurant's patrons to keep their distance and their coughs/sneezes to themselves while dining in. The masks on people in stores make us a little more comfortable when we are there, but that's not possible when a person is dining and needs to have use of their mouth to enjoy the food. So not for a while yet.

 

[Rambler]

We used to go out once a week, sometimes twice. Since the virus, we’ve been getting take out at one favorite or another about once a week. Our restaurants opened on the 16th, and we haven’t been back. I’m not so worried myself, but, I’d prefer to visit my aging parents rather than having a dine-in experience. I’d worry that if I did go to dine in, that I might get it and pass it along to them, and they’re less capable, at age 84, of handling it than I am at age 58. I have been visiting them every couple of weeks, but we sit out on their back patio, about 10-12 feet apart, just in case.

 

[steveark]

I'm not, I'm a distance runner and competitive tennis player but I have asthma and another lung issue that is too complicated to go into, except it is worse than asthma. Plus I'm 64, so I'm cautious, but if I was not impaired then heck yes. This whole thing had been ridiculously overblown for normal healthy people.

 

[jjuneau]

You need a shorter period choice in the poll. Two weeks is way out there. Wife, grandson, and I went out a few nights ago to one of our favorites. There is always a chance to pick up something when out in public, but we are well past the time when we should be worried about a particular illness. I think the odds of catching something at Walmart are greater than a good restaurant, and we have been at Walmart regularly throughout this whole "stay home" nonsense.

 

[robnplunder]

I voted for the two months but will monitor the COVID 19 spread closely. The county I am in has not seen the decline in COVID 19 cases yet.

 

[ArmchairMillionaire23]

My local (online) news had an article last week about a couple of local restaurants that had recently reopened and I found the news troublesome for myself and my wife. They interviewed the owners or managers and one place stated that they had replaced their menus with QR codes at the tables so people could view their menu online. The other place stated they were doing call-ahead seating and that they expected people to call in their seating reservations, wait in their vehicles, and that they would be notified via text message when their table was ready.
Since we are not cell-phone people, if this is the new trend then I guess we might not be dining out anymore.

 

[Dtail]

My local (online) news had an article last week about a couple of local restaurants that had recently reopened and I found the news troublesome for myself and my wife. They interviewed the owners or managers and one place stated that they had replaced their menus with QR codes at the tables so people could view their menu online. The other place stated they were doing call-ahead seating and that they expected people to call in their seating reservations, wait in their vehicles, and that they would be notified via text message when their table was ready.
Since we are not cell-phone people, if this is the new trend then I guess we might not be dining out anymore.

Curious - no cell phone plan?

 

[ArmchairMillionaire23]

Curious - no cell phone plan?

No cell phone at all. My 3 phones are as follows:
1964 Stromberg-Carlson black rotary dial wall mount phone (kitchen)
1964 Western Electric black rotary dial table-top phone (living room)
1981 Western Electric red rotary dial table top phone (office)

I enjoy going for walks and drives and not being bothered. Life's a lot more relaxing this way.